Vehicles may use a gasket to seal various components in an internal combustion engine.
For example, US2010/0109255 describes a gasket layer that allows for sealing between a cylinder head and an engine block. The gasket layer includes a number of structuring elements that may allow for concentrated load distribution. For example, the gasket layer includes a number of alternating elevations and depressions to increase the pressure load between the cylinder head and the engine block at each elevation and depression.
The inventors herein have recognized various issues with the above system. In particular, increasing the number of sealing structures increases the complexity of the gasket layer. Further, adding additional structure to the gasket layer increases the weight of the gasket layer. Further still, a cost associated with manufacturing the gasket layer is increased as a result of the alternating elevations and depressions.
As such, one example approach to address the above issues is to provide a narrow shim between two gasket layers such that the narrow shim coincides with a beading structure to increase the sealing potential of the gasket. Further, one or more of the gasket layers may include an aperture that exposes the narrow shim. In this way, it is possible to concentrate the applied load over the beading structure, while reducing load dissipation over the width of the shim. Specifically, a block side gasket layer may include a plurality of apertures that are staggered compared to a plurality of apertures in other gasket layers to reduce the clamping load in a region corresponding with the apertures. This configuration enables the clamping load may be distributed to beading structure regions, and thus concentrated with the beading structure regions. Further, by taking advantage of fewer materials, a weight of the engine can be reduced.
Note that the plurality of apertures may be any suitable shape without overlapping with a bearing region. Further, the plurality of apertures may have the added advantage of contributing to cooling of the engine block and/or cylinder head. Further still, variations in engine block and/or cylinder head structure may also enable enhanced engine cooling, if desired.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.